Neighborhood

Queens, which Time magazine deemed 2015’s number one travel destination, is the largest of New York City’s five boroughs and one of the most ethnically diverse city areas in the world. It is home to a variety of diverse neighborhoods including Bellaire, Bayside, Astoria, Flushing, Long Island City and Sunnyside.

Queens’ two airports make the airline industry very influential, accounting for more than 27 percent of all jobs in the borough. However, the economy is quite widespread and diverse. Other important industries in Queens include healthcare, retail trade, film, construction, and manufacturing. The borough is home to watchmaker Bulova; piano manufacturer Steinway & Sons; and Glaceau, which makes Vitamin Water.

Queens Office Space | Lease and Data Trends

Queens is 109 square miles in size and offers a wide variety of options for office space. Queens office space leases cost $41 per square foot on average, well below the Manhattan average of $72 per square foot and asking rents in popular Brooklyn submarkets such as DUMBO ($65/sqft) and Williamsburg ($60/sqft).

Queens’ most dense business district is Long Island City, which is undergoing massive changes and commercial real estate expansion. New Long Island City office space is primarily Class A office towers, drawing both established brands and fast-growing startups.

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Though there are fewer MTA subway stations than Manhattan or Brooklyn, residents and visitors alike have numerous public transit options for traveling to and from Queens and getting around within it. To fly, use JFK International Airport or LaGuardia Airport. To take the subway, choose between one of 81 stations on seven main lines. To travel by commuter rail, take the Long Island Rail Road, which operates 22 stations in Queens to take passengers to Manhattan, Brooklyn and Long Island. You can even travel by ferry between Queens and Manhattan.

If you’re planning a business lunch or event, check out Abuqir Seafood, D Angelos Sausage Truck, Bill’s Townhouse or Ltauhua Restaurant. If you just want to take a break from the office and go for a brainstorming stroll, visit one of Queens’ many parks such as Astoria Park, Brookville Park or Queensbridge Park.

Get to Know Queens

Queens has something for everyone. Sports fans can enjoy a Mets game at Citi Field or watch a US Open tennis tournament. Swimming, tanning or surfing enthusiasts can enjoy Rockaway Beach. In fact, this beach is the city’s only legal surfing beach. Visitors can enjoy a variety of concessions and outdoor activities along with the surf and sand. And those who just want to take a stroll can explore Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, the largest park in Queens and the fourth largest park in New York City. This 897-acre park offers a wide variety of activities including a recreation complex, a zoo, an art museum, a science museum and a botanical garden. Popular tourist destinations include the Museum of the Moving Image, the Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden, the Unisphere and the Panorama of NYC, and P.S. 1 Contemporary Arts Center.

Like in most of New York City, many streets in Queens are named with numbers. Consecutive streets with the same number—such as 52nd Road, 52nd Drive and 52nd Court—can cause confusion even for residents. Queens is home to the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge, the Queensboro Bridge, the Queens Midtown Tunnel and the Roosevelt Island Bridge. Popular colleges in the area include Queens College, York College, and Queensborough Community College.

Queens became a borough on May 4, 1987. It used to be larger until 1899, when the eastern 280 square miles was partitioned and designated as Nassau County. It hosted both the 1939 and 1964 New York World’s Fairs at Flushing Meadows Park. This exhibition for mid-20th century American culture and technology included more than 140 pavilions, 110 restaurants, 45 corporations and 80 nations.